Distressing memories: A continuum from wellness to PTSD. Martalek, A., Dubertret, C., Fovet, T., Le Strat, Y., & Tebeka, S. Journal of affective disorders, 363:198–205, oct, 2024.
doi  abstract   bibtex   
BACKGROUND: Exposure to traumatic events is a frequent source of distress, provoking isolated symptoms such as distressing memories (DM) to full-blown post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). We aimed to assess the continuum theory using DM as an isolated symptom, and to examine trauma consequences in a exposed to traumatic events. METHODS: Using data from the National Epidemiologic Study of Alcohol and Related Conditions III, we assessed the prevalence of DM in a trauma exposed sample, and examined their sociodemographic and lifetime psychiatric correlates, comparing three groups: (i) controls (no DM, no PTSD); (ii) participants with isolated DM without PTSD; (iii) participants with PTSD. We estimated the sensitivity and specificity of DM for PTSD diagnosis. RESULTS: In our sample of 17,505 participants exposed to trauma, 13 % had PTSD and 42 % had DM without PTSD. The sensitivity of DM for the diagnosis of PTSD was 95.14 %, specificity was 51.91 %. Participants with DM and those with PTSD shared the same socio-demographic correlates. Participants with DM reported more lifetime psychiatric disorders (mood disorders - mainly depressive disorders and bipolar type 1 disorder; anxiety disorders - mainly social anxiety disorder, substance use disorders - mainly opioid use disorder and cannabis disorder; eating disorders - mainly binge eating disorder; personality disorders - mainly borderline personality disorder- and suicidality) than controls, but less than participants with PTSD. CONCLUSION: DM represent an intermediate state between well-being and post-traumatic stress disorder; DM is also associated with other psychiatric disorders. It should be considered as a transdiagnostic psychiatric symptom useful for clinicians in identifying psychiatric vulnerability.
@article{Martalek2024,
abstract = {BACKGROUND: Exposure to traumatic events is a frequent source of distress,  provoking isolated symptoms such as distressing memories (DM) to full-blown post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). We aimed to assess the continuum theory using DM as an isolated symptom, and to examine trauma consequences in a exposed to traumatic events. METHODS: Using data from the National Epidemiologic Study of Alcohol and Related Conditions III, we assessed the prevalence of DM in a trauma exposed sample, and examined their sociodemographic and lifetime psychiatric correlates, comparing three groups: (i) controls (no DM, no PTSD); (ii) participants with isolated DM without PTSD; (iii) participants with PTSD. We estimated the sensitivity and specificity of DM for PTSD diagnosis. RESULTS: In our sample of 17,505 participants exposed to trauma, 13 % had PTSD and 42 % had DM without PTSD. The sensitivity of DM for the diagnosis of PTSD was 95.14 %, specificity was 51.91 %. Participants with DM and those with PTSD shared the same socio-demographic correlates. Participants with DM reported more lifetime psychiatric disorders (mood disorders - mainly depressive disorders and bipolar type 1 disorder; anxiety disorders - mainly social anxiety disorder, substance use disorders - mainly opioid use disorder and cannabis disorder; eating disorders - mainly binge eating disorder; personality disorders - mainly borderline personality disorder- and suicidality) than controls, but less than participants with PTSD. CONCLUSION: DM represent an intermediate state between well-being and post-traumatic stress disorder; DM is also associated with other psychiatric disorders. It should be considered as a transdiagnostic psychiatric symptom useful for clinicians in identifying psychiatric vulnerability.},
author = {Martalek, Alexandra and Dubertret, Caroline and Fovet, Thomas and {Le Strat}, Yann and Tebeka, Sarah},
doi = {10.1016/j.jad.2024.07.076},
issn = {1573-2517 (Electronic)},
journal = {Journal of affective disorders},
keywords = {Adult,Anxiety Disorders,Female,Humans,Male,Memory,Middle Aged,Prevalence,Sensitivity and Specificity,Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic,Young Adult,diagnosis,epidemiology,psychology},
language = {eng},
month = {oct},
pages = {198--205},
pmid = {39029679},
title = {{Distressing memories: A continuum from wellness to PTSD.}},
volume = {363},
year = {2024}
}

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